{"id":51248,"date":"2025-04-17T16:54:27","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T14:54:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/?p=51248"},"modified":"2025-10-02T21:17:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T19:17:01","slug":"how-to-become-a-teacher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/how-to-become-a-teacher\/","title":{"rendered":"How to become a teacher in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you want to inspire, motivate, and guide the next generation into the future, teaching can be an incredibly rewarding career. But it\u2019s also a career facing a crisis; qualified and dedicated educators are in short supply. Forty-four million more teachers are needed around the world by 2030 to meet equitable education goals, according to UNESCO.<\/span>1<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n

Are you ready to rise to the challenge? Whether you\u2019ve known from a young age that teaching is your passion or you\u2019re considering a career switch, there are a few steps you need to take before reaching the classroom.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Requirement for teaching<\/h2>\n

Teaching requirements in South Africa<\/span> include a combination of postgraduate education, registration, and continuing professional development.<\/span><\/p>\n

The steps below represent one pathway on <\/span><\/i>how to become a teacher<\/span><\/i>. However, your journey to <\/span><\/i>become a teacher<\/span><\/i> might look different. Check with the appropriate governing bodies to confirm the best steps for you and confirm your eligibility before applying to universities or for professional registration.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Education<\/h3>\n

Becoming a teacher starts with being a student. Future educators need training to learn not just the material they\u2019ll eventually share with students, but the <\/span>best practices to teach and manage classrooms<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In South Africa, there are two degree paths towards teacher certification:<\/span>2<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n

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  1. A four-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree, <\/span>or <\/b><\/li>\n
  2. A three- or four-year bachelor\u2019s degree and a one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    A <\/span>Bachelor of Education<\/b> is a four-year, full-time course in which students specialize in one or more schooling phases.<\/span>3<\/span><\/sup> The phases correspond to their eventual classroom\u2019s age, such as the Foundation Phase for grades R\u20133 or the Intermediate Phase for grades 4\u20136.<\/span><\/p>\n

    A <\/span>Postgraduate Certificate in Education<\/b> is a one- to two-year course taken after completion of an undergraduate degree.<\/span>4<\/span><\/sup> A PGCE can be a great option for aspiring teachers who already have a bachelor\u2019s degree in a subject other than education and want to switch careers. In this program, students learn via theoretical and practical study focused on the teaching profession. Like in the B.Ed., students can specialize in a specific schooling phase in a PGCE.<\/span><\/p>\n

    For future educators who want to teach Intermediate Phase and older, they can also specialize in a specific subject area. For example, you might choose to study mathematics or language arts.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    2. Certification and registration<\/h3>\n

    All qualified teachers must register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) before applying to teaching posts.<\/span>5<\/span><\/sup> To complete the SACE registration process, applicants must submit:<\/span>6<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n